Orchids of the Solomon Islands & Bougainville

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Orchids of the Solomon Islands & Bougainville
P. J. Cribb , and B. A. Lewis
Manufacturer: Balogh Scientific Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0947643273

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Orchids of the Solomon Islands and Bougainville: A preliminary checklist
A Thorne
Manufacturer: Royal Botanic Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007B9I3M

Book Description

A guide to offbeat people, places, and events in Great Britain.

Eccentric Britain : The Guide to Britain's Follies and Foibles (Bradt Guides)

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See, Britain Has More Colors Than Just Gray...
Let this be your travelogue for a unique vacation

Eccentric Britain : The Guide to Britain's Follies and Foibles (Bradt Guides)
Benedict le Vay
Manufacturer: Bradt Travel Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Curiosities & Wonders | Fun Facts | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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Eccentric London: The Bradt Guide to Britain's Crazy and Curious Capital

ASIN: 1841620114

Book Description

A bizarre figure like an alien stalks a Scottish village - a West Country farmer who has built a medieval siege machine as tall as a church loads a car into it and gleefully fires it high into the sky - on a Surrey road a driver storms past at 60mph on his sofa, a standard lamp flapping in the wind. In some countries these characters would be called crackpots. In Britain, we respect them and call them eccentrics. Eccentric Britain brings you all these, together with the fascinating follies, bizarre buildings, peculiar pubs, curious ceremonies and mad marquesses that make up this unique country. For the visitor wanting to know where to expect the unexpected, or how to find the strange secrets off the beaten track, Benedict le Vay's Eccentric Britain is ideal. But its also a book to pick up and read, to make you wonder, to make you laugh out loud.

Customer Reviews:

See, Britain Has More Colors Than Just Gray..........2006-09-11

Britain. Wow, what a place. End to end it's colorful (hence the gray thing in the title, little reference to the weather, you know) it's weird, and it's not afraid to celebrate its peccadilloes. It's so interesting there it makes me wonder, as I always do, why the locals ever felt the need to leave and, oh, I dunno, bug the Irish so much. That said (hey, it was my sworn duty) this seriously is a neat book and I enjoyed it a lot. It's full of stories almost too odd to be real and places that call out to you to visit. From cursed chairs in innocuous pubs, to aliens and crop circles, to festivals that merrily commemorate the droolingly insane side to life---shin-kicking contests and Guy Fawke's Day---this island has it all and this book tells you about it. When and if I go next summer for the first time in nine years, I'm going to check out as many as I can of the freakish locales Benedict le Vay (any relation to Morgan le Fay, I wonder?) writes about. Read this book and come away with more respect than ever for the eccentric-loving people who gave us Eastenders, "classic" literature, and one darn cool flag (quite honestly worn over there as underwear) the Union Jack.

Let this be your travelogue for a unique vacation.......2000-07-30

I'd often heard that Britain had a tolerance for eccentrics, but I never knew to what extent. Some of these people are really, really weird, and they put more effort into bizzare hobbies, old local customs, and freaky sporting events than you would think possible. Wouldn't it be interesting if Americans spent more time going to blood sausage throwing contests than kid's sports tournaments? Together with Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Small Island", you could spend a extremely interesting vacation in Britain without ever going near any of the usual tourist haunts.

Book Description

This compilation of reports and feature stories from correspondents of Mizzima News and Feature Service addresses the struggle of the country of Burma and its citizens living under a military regime. These collected stories combine to create a timely introduction to Burma's current political situation. Topics addressed include Burma's relations with its neighbors, domestic affairs, and Burmese refuges in India.

Book Description

Bill Miner, the gentleman bandit, enjoyed more popularity in his day than Jesse James or Billy the Kid. He robbed stagecoaches and trains across California, Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, Washington State, and British Columbia until just before the First World War, by which point the public actually wanted him to escape the police.

Reporters visited him during his time in jail, and dubbed him "Old Bill Miner." When he died in Georgia, where he had committed the state's first train robbery, locals chipped in to pay for his funeral. Described by some as North America's Robin Hood, Bill Miner's character has starred in folk songs, stage productions, and movies. He is also credited with the invention of the phrase, "Hands up!"

Customer Reviews:

The greatest history book I'v ever read!.......1999-06-29

My grandpa did an excellent job writing this book. When he republished it I was hired to do the type-setting for the book. Once I got going I could not stop. It was a good book. Way to go grandpa. Read his others. They are all the same

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Name That Pet!
Naomi Jones
Manufacturer: Cousin Alice's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0971978638

Book Description

Name That Pet! is an animal/pet-naming reference book. It contains 22 chapters, which categorize names according to look (size/color), personality, breed origins, and pop-cultural references. It is informative in an educational context as well as a useful tool for personalizing a new household pet.

Name That Cat: Over 1,000 Inventive: and Colorful Names

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Name That Cat: Over 1,000 Inventive: and Colorful Names
Doug Cassidy
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Animal Husbandry | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0517585219
Release Date: 1992-05-19

Name That Dog : Dogs of Presidents, Kings, Queens, Governors and Celebrities

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Bipartisan Historical Pictorial Dog Book
Exceptional Photography
The perfect gift item for dog lovers!

Name That Dog : Dogs of Presidents, Kings, Queens, Governors and Celebrities
Lynne M. Hamer
Manufacturer: Animal Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 096279340X

Book Description

Name That Dog: Dogs of Presidents, Kings, Queens and Celebritries - Historical black and white photos as well as color photos. Coffee table book. This book is a must for all dog lovers. Photos date back to 1877 with Rutherford B. Hayes and best friend while in the White House. Others include: Bob Hope and "My Dog," Phyliss Diller and her esteemed and spoiled canine friend, Joan Rivers with her fashionable late buddy, "Spike," and many more. For more information and autographed copies, call (610) 280-7577.

Customer Reviews:

Bipartisan Historical Pictorial Dog Book.......2001-07-28

"Name That Dog" is a bipartisan dog book [coffee table size] that showcases your favorite presidents, whether Democrat or Republican, with their canine companions. This book is replete with historical photographs [black & white] dating back to Rutherford B. Hayes [1897] with his favorite spaniel, "Dot." Also included are celebrity dogs [Bob Hope with "My dog", Joan Rivers with "Spike," Phyliss Diller with "Phearless"] and many others ...

If you like dogs and history, this book makes a great gift item!

Exceptional Photography.......2000-06-15

I loved it! This is a book worth ordering, especially if you're appreciative of nostalgic photography. The photos in this book are priceless.

The perfect gift item for dog lovers!.......2000-06-15

This book is in STOCK. You can have your book personalized for gifts by E-mailing the author at:LHamer7797@aol.com.

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Name That Animal
Wayne Lynch
Manufacturer: Gareth Stevens Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Name That Pet
Jacqueling Dolley
Manufacturer: Vantage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0533068258

Average customer rating:

Sunglasses, please

Charming Crafty Author Entertains as She Educates!

A bit too chatty

It's like the Ugly Betty of craft books ...

A Great 12-Step Program AND a New Hobby!

Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life
Kathy Cano Murillo
Manufacturer: Collins Design
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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La Casa Loca: Latino Style Comes Home 45 Funky Craft Projects for Decorating & Entertaining

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Mexican Folk Art Coloring Book (Dover Coloring Book)

AlternaCrafts: 20+ Hi-Style Lo-Budget Projects to Make

Super Crafty: Over 75 Amazing How-to Projects!

ASIN: 0060789425
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Book Description

Crafters everywhere can tap
into their creative spirits with
this idea-packed, beautifully
illustrated book

No one knows better than crafty chica extraordinaire Kathy Cano Murillo the satisfaction that comes with creating one-of-a-kind items. In Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul, she offers thirty original projects ranging from colorful jewelry and elegant candles to hip Mexican coffee coasters.

Along with full-color photographs, step-by-step instructions, and a handy resource guide are Murillo's fun and inspiring tips for connecting with your culture, tapping into your creative spirit, and finding new ways to spice up your love life, glam up your garden, redecorate your kitchen, and much more.

With Kathy Cano Murillo's guidance and glittery ideas, crafty chicas of every age and skill level will be well on their way to developing their own personal sense of style while living artful lives.

Customer Reviews:

Sunglasses, please.......2007-10-10

I LOVED this book. It not only had some great projects that almost made me get in the car and drive to the craft store but it was a fun read. I have enjoyed picking it up several times this summer and looking at the creativity inside. I would recommend this book!

Charming Crafty Author Entertains as She Educates! .......2007-09-03

Kathy Cano Murillo, the author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul, Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life, has delighted me with her craft book. I don't normally get all excited about making purses out of 50 cent hardbacks (That cool project is called "Hardback Book Purse" and is fabulous!), nor do I relate to holidays such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which I find slightly scary. However, with Kathy as my guide, I understand that this tradition of honoring the dead is similar to the manner in which we honor our ancestors no matter what our ethnic background. After reading what she wrote, I opened my mind and learned what I had never understood before about this holiday, and now I find it compelling and fascinating.

Not only am I willing to learn about a culture which is different from mine, I am totally charmed by this craft book. When I first started reading it, I began giving my husband orders: "Jim: PLEASE go get me a balsa wood box! Please get me a roll of silver embossing tin! I want a knob! A really cool one! Please!(my husband is a builder). Yes, my first project was "The Empowerent Box". I particularly liked this project because it is beautiful and because you store your favorite quotes in it. You hand write them out, place them in it, and keep it next to your bed. I have several favorite quotes. One is "Hope is the thing wth feathers." As a parent with disabled children, I never give up hope. Another is "The buck stops here". Do you have any favorite quotes? A keepsake box, made by you, is such a lovely place to keep treasured words which mean something special to you.

Kathy Cano Murillo is quite an amazing person. Not only does she set you aflame with desire to create her projects, with your paintbrush flying and your glitter shooting sparks all over the place, she writes fun stories. Some are about mishaps she has endured (read the Chocolate incident and you will relate totally!), and some are touching stories about her family. It's a lovely combination: you get projects like "The Mighty Mosaic Address Sign", with has cool marbles and loteria playing cards decorating it, you get tales, suggestions on movies with crafty aspects to them, (this is cool--trust me), fun tips on how to take each project to the next level, and a style of writing which engages you from the first page.

I am not Hispanic, but because of Kathy Cano Murillo, I have a high respect for the family values, the hard work, the humor, the love, and the creativity she offers, here in this book, as an unofficial ambassador for the Hispanic people. She should be very proud of this book. It is superfun and cool.

Other than the projects I already mentioned, several of my other favorite projects are: "Wonderfully Worn Flower Fence", ALL the "Potions for Passion" (and why not!), and the "Love Letters Pocketbook". That one is really pretty.

I think this author is one in a million. Try this book and you will soar--she will be the wind beneath your wings! A great and unique experience! I love this book!

A bit too chatty.......2007-07-09

Okay, I was ready to love this book. I'd been to Kathy's website and I do like most of the crafts. However, it is long on personal dialogue and week on technical "how to" instructions. I still can't get the glass slide charm bracelet to work. Heck...I can't even cut the slides. So...I can't recomend this book.

It's like the Ugly Betty of craft books ..........2007-05-20

For Latinas, as well as gringas like me! I love the ethnic inspired glitz and glam of Kathy Murillo's Art de la Soul projects and absolutely adore the author's conversational writing style. The only problem is deciding which is more fun, making the crafts or reading the book over and over again.

A Great 12-Step Program AND a New Hobby!.......2007-05-07

There is hope!! Opening this book up is like walking out in a fresh desert morning and just breathing in the possibilities.
There are people who have a gift for things like this, and then there are the rest of us who must buy the books. This purchase is well worth it. This is a very personal, friendly book - you feel as if you are sitting together having coffee (while she is beading)(and showing you how). Among the spirited personal reflections braided through the book are some extremely unique ideas (and directions-thank you!!), and the combination of story-telling and art-creating gives a person hope that maybe, someday, at some point, that the intuition of that "inner artist" can be trusted. Right now, my inner artist is a hamfisted moron when it comes to anything other than stacking things and picking up dustbunnies, but I have at least taken this first step (just 11 more to go)!
Her ideas help stimulate the mind towards what might be possible. There are so many ideas - and they are beautiful. The thought that things can be done, little things of beauty, while you have a few spare moments - and the idea that time can be set aside for being creative.
A very encouraging, engaging book, and a family effort - tradition speaks volumes. Personal favorite: "Step Out of the Box." I need to photocopy it and staple it to my forehead. Okay, not staple, but you understand.
If you are a busy person, GET THIS BOOK. By hook or by crook. It is therapy.

Amazon.com

Bulb plants such as tulips, lilies, daffodils, and hyacinths are the beautiful workhorses of the outdoor garden, producing a wonderfully showy display every spring (usually just when you've given up on the idea of winter ever leaving), then disappearing tidily until the following year--no muss, no fuss. Of course, there are also summer- and fall-blooming bulbs, tuber plants such as dahlias, and tender exotic bulbs that prefer to winter in temperate indoor climes each year. Whatever your tastes and level of gardening savvy, Flowering Bulbs for Dummies reveals the secrets of choosing the right bulbs for your garden and planting them where they'll flower most flashily. It also offers tips on forcing bulbs, container growing, and selecting the most fragrant varieties to please the nose as well as the eye. Like all Dummies titles, this one doesn't skimp in the resource section--there are dozens of reliable bulb suppliers listed in the appendix. --Barrie Trinkle

Book Description

Get all the dirt on growing brilliant flowering bulbs, from traditional tulips to exotic fritillaria, all year 'round. Down-to-earth advice, step-by-step instructions, and dozens of colorful photos help you transform anyplace that has soil into a dazzling showcase of color and fragrance. Whether you're on new ground or firmly rooted in the perennial passions of bulb gardening, one guide is certain to help your creativity bloom -- Flowering Bulbs For Dummies.

Choose from dozens of flowering bulbs for any climate with the fun and friendly tips you'll find sown throughout Flowering Bulbs For Dummies. Design an impressive garden with the space you have -- big or small, inside or out -- and find out how to make your bulbs bloom year after color-filled year. Grow your flowering bulbs in containers, minimize the annual onslaught of pests and diseases, and discover the ten best bulbs for cut-flower bouquets, along with pages and pages of hands-on advice for where to buy the best bulbs, from Acidanthera murialae to Zephyranthes grandiflora!

Average customer rating:

Don't Be Deterred by the Credentialists

Very useful new baby guide

Excellent Book for First Time Parents

Let the Baby Be Your Guide

Essential for first-time parents

The Contented Little Baby: The Simple Secrets of Calm, Confident Parenting
Gina Ford
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Infants | Babies & Toddlers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Child Care | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

Potty Training In One Week

The Complete Sleep Guide for Contented Babies & Toddlers

The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer

ASIN: 0451202430
Release Date: 2001-10-10

Book Description

In this revolutionary book, one of Britain's top maternity nurses challenges the traditional "feed-on-demand" advice-and shows parents simple ways to get their babies to sleep through the night.

* Recognize the difference between hunger and tiredness
* Establish a good feeding and sleeping pattern from day one
* Choose baby equipment and clothes
* Set up the nursery
* Deal with crying and colicky babies
* Wean baby from breast to bottle

Customer Reviews:

Don't Be Deterred by the Credentialists.......2007-09-30

I write this mainly to respond to two prominent critical reviews, one by a "sleep researcher" and the other by a pediatrician. Their reviews are marked by an extraordinary lack of balance or equanimity, which causes one to question the seriousness of their postings, and to wonders: what are they so outraged about, particularly given the positive testimony of so many people who have been aided by the book (myself included)?

First, let's examine the initial complaint of the "sleep researcher."

"I could not believe my eyes when I flipped to one of the routine pages. She has everthing laid out to the minute"

One hastens to make two points: First, the reviewer says she "flipped to one of the routine pages," and also mentions reading the introduction. One strongly suspects, given that the review that follows is merely an objection to the content of those two brief sections, that the reviewer never read any further. Second, as to the content of her complaint ("laid everything out to the minute"), how exactly is that an a priori disqualification of the book? Does the researcher have some God-given knowledge that highly articulated schedules are to be shunned? So she doesn't like them: that's hardly a reason to discount the success that many people have had with this book.

My own experience, not unsurprisingly, was that the method described by the author of the book worked better the more zealously it was followed. That's not to say I haven't made alterations to it in order to tailor it to my own life and my baby's needs. But I have done so after carefully reading the book (repeatedly) and understanding the principles that each of the tedious details represents.

It is also peculiar to me that the occasional need for flexibility (an important social engagement or growth-spurt induced feeding clusters) would be cited as reason to shun this book. Why? One of the benefits of having a very hard and fast schedule is that the rhythms become very ingrained and are not terribly disrupted by having a chaotic day or two once in a while. The rigorous schedule is precisely what gets you through the tumult without having to utterly start over again. (It probably bears saying, though, that people who are extremely literal or who have problems with authority probably should avoid this book. Such a person will not understand that on special occasions, schedules are often put aside, and that both the celebration and the schedule can live on, without one negating the other; but instead the person will become angry or resentful, feeling that impossible demands are being placed on them. And this may be the case with the reviewer.)

A related complaint is that feeding should not be scheduled at all. Feeding on demand, the reviewer says, is "proven" as the best method. Certainly, there has been a resurgence of this sentiment, backed, in many specifics, by some scientific findings. But certain questions remain open: for what age group? 1 week? 4 months? A year? How long do you carry that on? What are the implications for the mother's sleep and, thus, health? What about babies who want to suck for comfort and aren't really feeding? A weak-sucking on-demand baby gets a) little hind milk, b) an exhausted mother, c) no sense of distinction between day and night. At the same time, trying to implement a rudimentary schedule after a week or two will never prevent you from noticing that your baby is hungry. Nor does providing a set routine of feedings prevent you from supplementing these by responding to the baby's hunger at other times. On-demand and schedules are not entirely incompatible. (Ever had a snack and still ate dinner?) In fact, a baby who tends toward the late day cluster-feeding that the reviewer talks about could be easily incorporated into Ford's schedule, since the whole point is trying to get more eating done during the day time so that less need will be felt at night.

The hard part, the real "job" of interpreting the signs of these little pre-linguistic wonders, is figuring out sleep, which the baby often does not know how to recognize as a need and often does not know how to achieve it if she did. This issue becomes an enormous problem for many mothers, but the reviewer seems not to recognize it. Of course, she is a doctor, and doctors often have rather attenuated relationships with sleep. But some of us very much like to sleep through the night, and very much like to do so on a regular schedule. This book has proven helpful in achieving that goal for many people.

At the end of the review, the reviewer turns personal, and perhaps gives us some insight into my initial question: why the outrage? She apparently chooses to follow a more irregular schedule with her own child (goes out a lot, visits friends, doesn't keep a consistent routine, has fun!) and that is certainly her right. But she is reacting defensively, as if the existence of this book is an accusation against her and her lifestyle. It is not. Perhaps her baby sleeps more than enough on a less regular schedule. In any case, the reviewer's own insecurities should not be the basis on which the efficacy of this book is determined.

The reviewer dismisses all of the positive anecdotal evidence for this book as a sort of placebo effect: "any book may have worked for them."

I sincerely doubt "Catcher in the Rye" would have done the trick for my child, but admittedly, I didn't try it. In any case, this is a rather cavalier dismissal of data for a "sleep researcher" to be passing out. Aren't there other possibilities? What if it turned out that many of these people had tried other books, but hadn't found success? It's as if the sleep researcher knows all the answers already (a helpful talent for a researcher), without talking to the subjects, without reading the book. She has her degree and her list of "FACT," but are the actual facts--and not the lazy, generalized slogans then may engender--incompatible with this book? Not in my experience. In any event, how can she know without actually reading it? We might have actually benefited from her expertise if she'd read it and gave a more nuanced response, acknowledging areas of insight and practical successes of the book, while raising red flags in areas that women might want to be cautious of (e.g., don't be tempted NOT to respond to a hungry baby who isn't getting enough food on the schedule.)

Finally, Ms. Sleep Researcher, shame on you for criticizing Gina Ford's "gaul." You should rise above ad hominem, especially where such jingoism is involved. Frankly, I don't even think Ms. Ford is French.

The second reviewer, the pediatrician, also appears to have not read the book, which is a shame, and writes something that is clearly untrue, suggesting that the book counsels a breastfeeding schedule that will cause milk supply to diminish. "This book reccomends a lagtime of 5 hours in the daytime and almost 9 hours overnight for feeds." In fact, the book says quite explicitly that a baby should not go more than 3hrs between feedings in the first week. Did she read the book?

Or perhaps the doctor's point is not directed towards newborns, but older infants, when Ms. Ford's schedule does indeed suggest the baby sleep 8 hrs without a feeding? But if that is the case, what are we to make of the doctor's statement that her own child slept through the night at 5 1/2 weeks? And how, one wonders, did she manage to maintain her milk supply?!

What the doctor unwittingly acknowledges with her own experience is that schedules--whether rigorous or not--exist for everyone, regardless of their view of this book, and that they change frequently as infants grow older. The question presented by this book is whether they should change with some level of parental management. Should you push a baby towards longer times between feedings as the weeks pass, and towards a schedule that encourages nighttime sleeping and daytime eating? The book says yes. Rather than finding this shocking, I would think the rational reaction would be "inevitable."

Babies aren't born knowing that 8-10 EST is primetime and after that we head to bed. Left to their own inclinations, they may develop a habit of sleeping consistently for 8 hrs in the middle of the day. Any guess as to what will happen during the nights? But they respond like any human to repeated schedules. If you eat every day at a certain time, that's when you'll get hungry. If you are woken up at a certain time, that's when you'll tend to wake up. Anyone who travels across time zones knows that if you want to deal harmoniously with the world, you have to subject yourself to arbitrary schedules. The quicker you get on it, the better your days will go.

So it is for the baby: Newborns have special needs, but within a few months, they can indeed sleep for long periods of time. They won't do so automatically, however, and they won't automatically do so during the time of day you want them to. But, eventually, regardless of what book you buy, the child will have to live on society's normative schedule. Moving there gradually but expeditiously from the start will help everyone in the family, including the baby, get more sleep more consistently. The literature on the many dysfunctions caused by lack of sleep in the world today is copious and I commend it to the two MD critics.

Finally, the doc says that "babies need love to grow." That's sweet and true, but deceptively simply. Actually, they need people to express that love by giving them food and helping them to sleep. This book provides techniques that help you do that. The doctor seems to have had an easy time getting her kids to sleep through the night. But does she know people whose kids aren't sleeping that well after a year? I do. Mothers who are sleep-deprived month after month after month have an increasingly hard time being loving people, you will find.

As for my own view of the general efficacy of this book, I have only anecdotal evidence and thus, cannot guarantee anything about how your baby will react to any given schedule. If the proud MD critics here were behaving according to the methodologies their science degrees purport to represent, they would refrain from issuing their all-knowing fatwas as well, and would certainly not be titling their reviews with such inflammatory headings, or propagating actual falsehoods about the contents of the book.

Undoubtedly, not every reader will be able to live by Ms. Ford's schedule, and not every baby's sleep problem will be solved by it, and the book, in its tone and structure, is not perfect. But what I can say with confidence is that you should do what the two critics here obviously haven't done: read the book for yourself.

Very useful new baby guide .......2007-09-12

The author does tend to be a bit dictative in her approach and tends to continually repeat how may babies she has worked with and how successful her methods have been. This may be true, but she does not have to keep repeating it. The routines for sleep and feeding are well planned and thorough and do seem to work so it is a very useful guide for new mothers. The list of items needed for the baby is also very helpful.

Excellent Book for First Time Parents.......2007-09-05

This book was given to me as a gift and I am so glad. It was just what I needed as a new parent. It is a great book for people who are more scheduled and organized themselves. I used this book as a basis for establishing a schedule for my baby. In the beginning, I followed the schedule more closely and as my baby got older and I understood him more, could adapt the book's schedule to my baby. My baby was sleeping through the night at a very young age (between 2 to 3 months), and everyone that sees my baby says he looks like a very happy contented baby! What is especially good in the book is what she writes about how to teach your baby to sleep...her understanding in this topic is absolutely correct in my opinion. Even if you don't use her schedule, get the book to read the section on sleeping.

Let the Baby Be Your Guide.......2007-09-04

I was given this book as a gift from a friend who used it and had a good experience with it. I have been using it for four months. I consider myself well read on a large variety of infant development issues and I found that she incorporates many of the expert opinions of other books into her schedule. She does seem to follow Weisblouth on sleep training, which I personally don't agree with. She is consistent with the No Cry Sleep Solution which is anti "cry it out" on how many hours of sleep a baby needs total and how long and how many naps they should take. These other data points gave me confidence in using her program once I realized that the book had the similar controversy in England as "Babywise" does in the US.

All that being said, my experience has been positive. I have used the book as a guide though. I think part of the controversy is that for her to give you a schedule versus just general advice, she does have to give some times, etc. and it can appear militant to some. If her ranges were too broad, she would negate certain helpful rules such as don't let the baby stay awake for longer than two hours. It is a bit of a Catch 22.

I really appreciate a few really key nuggets - don't let the baby stay awake longer than 2 hours. My child has never ever been inconsolable and the longest he has cried when he is slightly overtired (from not being on the schedule) is 10 minutes. I also like the idea of adding an extra feeding during the day to replace the "dropped one" at night. I loved doing the 5pm feeding, a bath and then a 6pm feeding. I also think the "dream feed" is a great way to let mommy have a reasonable bed time and get a few solid hours of sleep before getting up again. The 7am to 7pm schedule works really well too. My husband and I have wonderful evenings together and I think this has really helped us to maintain our relationship. I do think that the book advocates to feed them well during the day and make sure they have good naps, but not sleep all day long, not starving them, as some suggest. But I think giving them water or sugar water is generally accepted as not a good practice, I have never done this. I really love knowing why my baby is crying. I feel like that really helped me to learn his cues so that when he is off his schedule, I actually know why he is crying.

However, because I believe strongly in creating a healthy attachment, I have not followed the advice on "negative sleep associations". I rock and bounce my child to sleep, he uses a pacifier. I consider myself responsible for helping him soothe himself, until he can do it on his own. I followed this book in conjunction with Happiest Baby on the Block and the No Cry Sleep Solution. What I found was that I could have a nice outline of a schedule using her book, but used Happiest Baby to Soothe my son. Because I don't want to let him cry it out, I am using No Cry Sleep to gently ease him towards falling asleep on his own. The three go together nicely if you use each as a guide.

Some days I throw the schedule completely out of the window if he need me to. But I always start the next day at 7am, using her book as a guide. Alas, I have not experienced the miracle of having my child sleep through the night. He dropped all his night feedings for 4 nights in a row but then starting waking again. It was advised to me to let him cry it out at that point, it probably would have been the opportune time to do so, but I personally don't believe that is the right decision for us. He gets up anywhere between 2am and 4am for a feeding. I am happy to continue to do this as long as he needs, as he is 100% breastfeed and I am generally rested enough that I don't mind getting up with him. He eats quickly and I am off to bed again.

I cannot say if it is coincidence but my child is extremely happy. He has been able to play by himself since he was quite young under his mobile or in his bouncy seat. He is happy to sleep all night and take all naps in his "big crib". He smiles all the time and people constantly comment on how happy he is.

It is not practical to do this schedule to the minute and leave your house for errands and social dates. But I can say that the days that I am home all day with him and he is most closely following the schedule, he is the happiest. Also, I never delayed feeding him so he could stay militantly on the schedule. He was premie and doubled his weight at 8 weeks and is on schedule to triple well before his one year birthday. He went from the 5% to the 33% in 8 weeks on this program.

I think the most helpful reviews on this controversial book probably come from parents who have either tried and love the book or tried it in earnest and hated it. I tried it and liked it, with the caveats noted above.

Essential for first-time parents.......2007-08-20

Like any clueless first-time mother-to-be, I swallowed up on as much baby material as I could possibly get my hands on.
However, there are only two user-friendly books which I constantly refer to and which I strongly urge first-time parents to read. They are Gina Ford's "The contented little baby book" and "Nanny Wisdom" (Justine Walsh and Kim Nicholson).
Some reviewers want to discredit Gina Ford by the fact that she has no children herself, but neither do the nannies of "Nanny Wisdom", and yet these two books are packed with no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point information that will prove more useful than all the others out there put together. These women have had more field work on babies than we as parents will ever have, and their method has worked time after time, so they must know what they're talking about.
Gina Ford's fifteen-minute-stint routine is a bit extreme but you don't need to follow it to a tee. Combined with "Nanny Wisdom"'s more flexible ones, you should be able to work out the ideal routine which works for your own family.
If you stick consistently to the basic feeding and sleeping schedules (and I underline "consistently" with the odd exception to allow for disruptions in your agenda now and then), you can make a world of a difference in your parental experience.
You must choose an approach which works both for you and your baby because neither will benefit from a woolly agenda, fizzled-out parents and babies who squeal hours on end because their basic needs of sleeping and feeding are loosely seen to.
Plotting out a schedule and following it with ruthless precision has proved the only way to keep us all sane through the mayhem of sleepless nights, jarring colicky spells, swelling breasts and a severe case of baby blues.
Both books advocate that children thrive on routines and rituals because having an idea of what the day will be like makes them feel more secure. And routines are a godsend for parents too, because you can schedule appointments and outings between feedings and napping times.
You also know that after 7 or 7.30 P.M.,once your little bundle of joy is punctually put to sleep, you'll have the rest of the evening to enjoy a film, read a book and catch up with your husband.
The controlled-crying method which so many parents abhorr is not a torture you cruelly inflinge on your baby. You are bequeathing him the great gift of learning to sleep unaided by himself and get the so much needed rest that will help him cope with ever more active days.
My now eleven-month-old boy has been able to sleep through the night since week six and glided more or less uneventfully through teething, weaning, night outings and holidays abroad. Like any other baby, he has his days, but in general, he's not a fussy eater non sleeper and will eat and sleep virtually anywhere: on the stroller, in a crowded café, on a plane and in portable cribs of all sorts. People often compliment me on how well-behaved and charming Nicholas is.
A couple of friends who have chosen to feed on demand or give in to quick-fix solutions are still putting up with five-month-old babies or toddlers who can't be put to sleep, can't be weaned and are to nuisance to their parents and to themselves.
The schedules are really useful because not even my pediatrician was able to draft me a sensible schedule on what my baby should eat, how often and at what times. The bottom line of these books is: a well-rested and properly fed baby is less prone to tantrums and blooms healthily to everyone's content. Arranging your new life as parent by schedules is a win-win situation to all concerned and these books are invaluable to ease your way through parenthood.

Book Description

How is it possible for a seriously flawed human being to produce art that is good, true, and beautiful? Why is the art of Richard Wagner, a very imperfect man, important and even indispensable to us?

In this volume, Father Owen Lee ventures an answer to those questions by way of a figure in Sophocles - the hero Philoctetes. Gifted by his god with a bow that would always shoot true to the mark and indispensable to his fellow Greeks, he was marked by the same god with an odious wound that made him hateful and hated. Sophocles' powerful insight is that those blessed by the gods and indispensable to men are visited as well with great vulnerability and suffering.

Wagner: The Terrible Man and His Truthful Art traces some of Wagner's extraordinary influence for good and ill on a century of art and politics - on Eliot and Proust as well as on Adolf Hitler - and discusses in detail Wagner's Tannhouser, the work in which the composer first dramatised the Faustian struggle of a creative artist in whom 'two souls dwell.' In the course of this penetrating study, Father Lee argues that Wagner's ambivalent art is indispensable to us, life-enhancing and ultimately healing.

Customer Reviews:

The incurable wound.......2004-04-01

Father M. Owen Lee, who is known for his erudite commentaries on Metropolitan Opera broadcasts has recently published another book about the Wagner's Ring Cycle, called "Athena Sings. Wagner and the Greeks." Father Lee is a Classics scholar, so it should be no surprise that the Greeks also inhabit "Wagner: The Terrible Man and His Truthful Art." One of the chief characters that Wagner is compared to in this slender book is Philoctetes, who was given a great gift by the god Apollo, but was also maimed with an incurable wound.

The three essays that make up this book were written to be given during the 1998 Larkin-Stuart lectures at the University of Toronto. These lectures are devoted to religious and ethical concerns, and Father Lee took the opportunity to examine the relationship of the artist, Wagner to his art.

The first lecture, "Wagner and the Wound That Would Not Heal" tells the story of Philoctetes, who was shunned by his fellow soldiers because of his unhealing wound. Finally, they exiled him on an island on their way to conquer Troy. In their tenth year of war, after the death of Achilles, the Greeks heard a prophecy "that the city would never be taken unless the wounded Philoctetes was brought to Troy with his bow (the gift from Apollo)." The Greeks sailed back to the island where they had abandoned Philoctetes and persuade the wounded, bitter man to use his gift to help them.

Father Owen is not a Wagner apologist, but he asks us to recognize our debt to the "hateful, wounded man [we] are in need of"---he whose music can penetrate deeply into our psyche and bring us, if not peace, then at least self-knowledge.

The second lecture, "Wagner's Influence: The First Hundred Years" discusses the effect that Wagner exercised, for good and ill, on music, art, literature, politics, and psychology. The author quotes philosopher Bryan Magee as being able to say: "Wagner has had a greater influence than any other single artist on the culture of our age."

Of course, the worm at the core of this lecture is Wagner's "unquestioned influence on Adolf Hitler." There are still people who won't listen to Wagner's music, and Father Lee acknowledges this artist's blatant anti-Semitism: "He probably wreaked more havoc on himself with his essay 'Judaism in Music' than with anything else he wrote." A hundred years later, Goebbels was able to use it as vicious propaganda.

Can we acknowledge this hateful, wounded man and still be pierced by the beauty of his music? The author goes on to quote Leonard Bernstein's article in the 'New York Times,' entitled "Wagner's Music isn't Racist:"

"...And if Wagner wrote great music, as I think he did, why should we not embrace it fully and be nourished by it?"

The third and last lecture that completes this book is entitled, "You Use Works of Art to See Your Soul." Father Owen Lee concentrates on Wagner's early opera, "Tannhäuser" to prove his point, with help from authors such as Baudelaire and Goethe. He is even tempted to wonder if Wagner had Martin Luther in mind when he created his tormented young hero, "who was gifted in song, clashed with the Pope, sought refuge in the Wartburg, defied the society he knew, and profoundly changed it."

Or perhaps, Wagner was thinking of Wagner.

These essays have convinced this reviewer at least, that a seriously flawed human being can produce indispensable, undying, truthful art.

arguably the most information in the least time.......2000-08-07

Although this book consists of merely three lectures, and can be finished off in about 2 or 3 hours without difficulty, it has as much fresh insight as many other titles that take much longer to study. The first lecture exploring the influence of classic Greek mythology and cultural recognition through artistic expression - ie roughly how the Greek society established itself through artistic endeavour - gives the reader a pretty clear idea what Wagner was trying to accomplish for Germany through his music dramas, and also confirms a pretty outlandish level of self-confidence to even make such an attempt. The second lecture has some material which has already been covered in other books - notably Aspects of Wagner by Magee - but is still interesting. The final lecture with a detailed study of Tannhauser is excellent, the most interesting commentary on this opera I have read to date. The choice of Wassily Kandinsky's Die Nacht, inspired by Act II of Tristan und Isolde, for the front cover was very appropriate. Strongly recommended.

Yet another great book from M. Owen Lee!.......2000-07-03

In this book, M. Owen Lee grapples with the issue of whether we can (and should) enjoy Wagner's art, in the knowledge of Wagner's notorious flaws (such as his fiery anti-semitism, etc.) Drawing from classical Greek mythology, Mr. Lee discusses how it is common for great artists to have flawed personal lives, and that the value of the artwork should therefore be judged independently of its creator. Indeed, the artist creates his art as an act of self-healing. He therefore encourages the enjoyment of the music of Richard Wagner. (Yep, the Wagnerholics of the world can now listen without guilt. :-)

A lot of the material is taken from the book, "Aspects of Wagner", which M. Owen Lee acknowledges as a source. Since I had read these books back-to-back, the repetition of material was easy to see.

There is also a discussion of the opera "Tannhauser", which is discussed in about the same level of detail as his commentaries on the Ring.

THE TRUTHFUL ART OF M OWEN LEE.......2000-04-04

M. Owen Lee is perhaps best known to opera lovers through his appearances on the Texaco Opera broadcasts, some of which have formed the core of two of his previous books. In his latest book, Father Lee demonstrates the personally committed criticism which is characteristic of his radio lectures. This is no mere apologia for Wagner. The author is painfully aware of Wagner's human failings, not merely the oft-discussed anti-Semitism, and he is troubled by the fact that the music of such a monster could move him so deeply. This book gives us a wonderful insight into the author's soul as he grapples with this question. I especially enjoyed the discussion of "Tannheuser" in the final chapter. (A few years ago I wrote to him about his love of Wagner, and he cared enough to write me a detailed letter in response--another sign of his genuine commitment to the subject). This book tells us not only about Wagner but also about the author himself, who has a unique capability of engaging the reader in a genuine dialogue.

Wagner: the terrible man and his truthful art.: An article from: Opera Canada

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Wagner: the terrible man and his truthful art.: An article from: Opera Canada

Manufacturer: Opera Canada Publications
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This digital document is an article from Opera Canada, published by Opera Canada Publications on December 22, 1999. The length of the article is 624 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Wagner: the terrible man and his truthful art.
Publication: Opera Canada (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 1999
Publisher: Opera Canada Publications
Volume: 40 Issue: 4 Page: 45-6

Article Type: Book Review

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